Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile

Nymphaea Caerulea (Blue Lotus or Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile) was the most sacred plant of Ancient Egypt, prized above all others. Nymphaea Caerulea (Blue Lotus) was worshipped as a visionary plant and was a symbol for the origins of life. It was frequently depicted in works of art, where it is most often shown in party and other social scenes, and sometimes in scenes of sexual debauchery. The flowers were noted for their delightful perfume, suggestive of the sweat of Ra; 'A divine essence, for bringing euphoria, heightened awareness and tranquility'. The Blue Lily was also a symbol of creation, and was according to legend the first object to emerge from oceanic chaos. Though exceedingly rare in the wild today it is thought to have been widespread across Ancient Egypt, where its psychoactive properties were apparently well known.

I had known about the Blue Lotus for quite awhile but became especially interested in the psychoactive properties of the plant and the connection to the ancient Egyptians as my interest and knowledge on the subject of ancient civilizations and mysticism evolved. Well last week I decided to try it out and purchased a 10gr bag at the local smartshop (head shop) in Utrecht, Netherlands.

After reading up about the Blue Lotus I decided to soak the dried flowers in red wine for about an hour and then consume the mixture. Apparently this is the method the ancient Egyptians used and the best way to ingest the sacred plant. After about half an hour I began to notice some mild sedative effects and a light euphoria but this was very subtle and somewhat clouded by the wine. After consuming 5gr of lotus and half a bottle of wine I realized that drinking the wine with the lotus had been a mistake, I felt the effects of the Lotus -dreamy, sedated, and tranquil- but the feeling was not optimal or pure because of the wine. I smoked a joint and felt a definite opiate like high though very mild. I slept very deeply and woke refreshed.

I was a little disappointed but I still had half a bag left of the Blue Lily and so the next night I decided to boil the flowers in water and drink the mixture as tea. I figured that without the wine I would be able to feel the effects of the Lotus properly. I drank three cups of tea and ate the remaining flowers, bitter but edible. The effect this time was stronger; gradually I felt a light buzz and soft glowing all over my body, my muscles relaxed and my mood definitely lifted. Although the effects are not overwhelming, they are pleasant and I’m sure they resemble the effects of opium. I enjoyed the dreamy space I found myself in, definite psycho-active effects, mind stimulation and a mild spiritual mystic effect.

The psycho-active effects of Blue Lotus are mild and subtle and a lot must be consumed in order to really appreciate this plant. Blue Lotus is definitely sedative but also tranquil and I can easily see why the ancient Egyptians used this drug at parties and social occasions, the Blue Lotus would also have been used by Priests to seek contact with the gods, for spiritual practices and as a pain-killer, sleeping-aid and all round wonder-herb. I found the effects similar to Valerian, GHB, and marijuana.

Erowid Blue Lotus Vault Watch two people as they try the Blue Lily during a scientific experiment here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5760375070244574893